Dust To Gold
by iEvenstarEstel
Summary: The lies of others threaten to keep Connor and Abby apart. A birthday fic for Wilemina.


Dust To Gold  
>2011 Evenstar Estel<p>The next time Abby saw Matt Anderson she was going to break his nose. She growled in frustration, pacing back and forth in her room. Bars on the windows? How antiquarian was that? She could at least see outside and even get a bit of fresh air, but what she couldn't do was escape. The plan had been a good one, were it not for the simple fact that it would hurt Connor terribly and Abby couldn't abide anything that hurt her man. She'd argued that there had to be another way, but in the end rather than let her come up with an alternative solution, they'd locked her up in a room at the house Matt claimed belonged to his father. The walls were as thick as old oaks, as were the doors, which she suspected actually had been old oaks at one time. Either way, both were too solid to break through. There also wasn't another person around for miles. She had an en suite and he'd provided her with a small fridge with two weeks worth of food as well as a microwave. It wasn't much, but she'd survive. Which is more than she could say for her team leader. She mentally upgraded his broken nose to a garrotting.<p>

Abby went over everything in her head again, hoping she'd said the right things in the letter she'd been made to write. She thought about the last time she and Connor had seen each other, just a little over a week previous. He hadn't seen his mum in almost two years and she'd taken a bad fall. She'd be just fine with a little recovery time, but Connor felt compelled to go. He'd felt guilty for being so neglectful of her, even though one year away had been beyond his control. When they'd been in the Cretaceous, Connor had spoken extensively about his mother and how she'd raised him on her own after his father had died. Abby felt as if she knew her just from Connor's words. She'd wanted to go with him, but she'd not been permitted. The final word had come from Lester and both she and Connor had been perplexed. Abby understood now. She'd taken Connor to the train station, kissed him goodbye and told him she loved him. At least his final memory of her had been a good one. Abby felt her stomach roil at the thought that her beloved now believed she was dead. Matt's plan was cruel and while she could understand the altruistic purpose behind it, she knew they could have found another way. Another source of ire for her was that everyone else had gone along with it!

Three days after she'd been tricked and locked in her room, Matt had returned and slipped several pieces of writing paper under the door along with a pen. Abby pushed them back out.

"Abby, he's already been told," said Matt through the thick wooden door. Abby delivered a solid front kick to the door, barely rattling it.

"Bastard!" she snarled back at him, kicking the door again.

"Abby you can kick at these doors all you want, but all you're going to get is a sore leg. Connor believes you're dead and he's on his way home already. We're going forward with or without your help and you know the plan will work better if you cooperate and write the letter. It'll save us valuable time. I know you want Burton gone, probably more than anyone of us. Write the letter, Abby. The sooner this is all over the sooner you can be reunited with Connor." He pushed the pages and the pen back under the door. "I'll be back in an hour. Make it convincing."

Abby was furious. This was so wrong. This went against everything she believed in and every promise she'd ever made to Connor. In her head she knew Matt was right. With her help Connor would see the light and finally discover Philip Burton for the villain he was. Abby bent down and snatched up the paper and pen from the floor. She heard Matt's footsteps walking down the hallway and away from her. Over the next hour she dutifully sat down at the desk by the window and wrote her letter to Connor. She prayed he'd understand that she felt she had no choice but to comply. If Matt's scheme worked and Burton was truly purged from their lives, then perhaps Connor would forgive her. She'd spend the rest of her life making it up to him.

Abby paced the room again. It had been three days since she'd written the letter. Connor would have read it a thousand times by now. He'd have it in his pocket, the edges would be worn and there'd be his tear stains overlapping hers. Abby shivered and stopped pacing. She wrapped her arms around herself and felt a wave of nausea hit her. She made it to the bathroom just in time. After she brushed her teeth and had a glass of water she lay down on the bed, feeling exhausted. She'd been locked up for almost a week and no one had come to check on her but Matt, and he'd only come to procure the letter. She shut her eyes tight and curled herself into a ball. She tried not to cry, but she was helpless against it. She missed Connor and her heart was breaking being separated so long from him. She imagined he was feeling infinitely worse.

!*!*!

_My dearest Connor,_

_If you're reading this letter it will mean that I have died. I don't know how it will have happened, but I know I would never have left you by choice. I love you. I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. I've been scared Connor. I never told you because I wanted it to not be real. I don't trust Burton. I never have. I've supported you because I knew it was important for you to continue Professor Cutter's work, but I know it down to my bones that if I've died, Philip Burton will have had a hand in it. Please put your doubts aside and trust me like you always have. He thinks I'm a distraction and that I interfere in your work. He's an egotist who can't see the value of human life or what two people can mean to each other. He's the one who took me from you._

_I cannot leave you without reminding you of what we shared. It took me many years to realize it, but I've loved you all along. You've been my truest and closest friend and the only man I've ever loved. I know I've said the words before, when were were alone in the Cretaceous, but I don't want you to forget them. You changed my life in all the best possible ways. You're my safe place. You're the best person I've ever known. Please don't ever forget our year in the past and all we shared. Remember our nights watching the stars. Remember making love by the fire. Remember the first time I told you that I loved you._

_I'm going to give this letter to Lester. I know he'll keep it safe and keep Burton from finding it. _

_One last thing - please take care of Rex for me. He needs his 'daddy'._

_Don't be afraid. I'll always be with you._

_Love,  
>Abby <em>

Connor heaved as another wave of sobs washed over him. He clutched Abby's letter in his hand, her words blurring through his tears. He could still hear Matt's words in his ears, _Connor there's been an accident, it's Abby._ He'd always known that their jobs were dangerous and one of them could be killed at any time, be it by a creature or the perils of chasing after them. But he'd never really believed it would happen. Even after Stephen and Cutter, he never believed he or Abby would get hurt. They'd survived a year in the Cretaceous for heaven's sake! Becker had told him what had happened when he'd arrived back at the ARC, having come straight from the train. The EMD that Abby had been using had malfunctioned. They'd been after a _Monolophosaurus_ so she'd been carrying one of the larger weapons. She'd gone to fire it and there was a malfunction. The charge had been reversed. For all intents and purposes she'd been fried from the inside out. The electrical current had killed her quickly, but her body had continued to burn afterwards leaving nothing but a charred husk of a human. Connor had run to the corner of the room and promptly thrown up in the trash can. Becker had stayed with him as he'd broken down. A few hours later he'd been called into Lester office and been given Abby's letter. His grief had turned to rage, but Matt and Becker were there to temper him and ask him if he'd be willing to subvert whatever it was that Abby had been disposed of to protect. He agreed, if only to get his revenge.

Connor couldn't look Burton in the eye. He could barely speak to him. The man pretended he understood, that Connor was just grief stricken. When Burton had suggested that Connor may wish to lose himself in his work to help ease the pain of his loss, Connor's opinion that Burton had killed Abby had been cemented. He did precisely as Burton had advised and lost himself in his work. He sent away all his assistants and locked himself away, speaking to no one but occasionally Matt, Becker or Lester. He spoke to Burton only when he was sought out and told him only of his progress on his projects. So long as Connor was working, Burton was satisfied. It took all of Connor's self control not to rip the man's throat out. Connor started staying in the barracks at the ARC rather than returning home to Jess' flat. He'd packed up Abby's belongings into boxes, knowing he'd never throw them away, but at the same time being unable to look at anything that had been hers. Late at night when everyone had left and the only people on duty were a few soldiers and the tech who took the graveyard shift to watch the ADD, Connor hacked into the ARC's system and began fishing for something, anything, that would unearth Burton's plans.

It took almost a week of looking, but Connor discovered the truth. He'd stumbled across it completely by accident. He felt his guts twist as he read the files. Burton may have counted on his brilliance as a scientist and a computer programmer, but nothing could outsmart Connor. He'd followed the breadcrumbs from ARC files to Burton's personal ones that he worked on in the quiet of his office. Burton had a fortune of billions, everyone knew that. He had several companies under the Prospero umbrella. The ARC was one of them and another was a laboratory. As Connor filtered through the information, he fixed upon one name that filled him with dread. Christine Johnson. Connor hadn't known much about the woman in her lifetime but as he read on he learned she had been one of the top minds in the fields bioengineering and biophysics. Philip Burton had financed her ambition, gave her a lab as well as free reign to practice her skills with her deranged imagination. It was almost funny how small a world it was, but Connor soon realized that Burton had been behind the scenes, a puppet master, since the beginning.

Christine Johnson had been experimenting with the genetic manipulation of human beings spliced with bats. It made Connor sick to his stomach. This was where the Future Predators began. He knew it down to his bones. Christine may have been dead, but the lab continued to operate and sent Burton monthly updates on their progress. The entire affair was something out of a horror film as far as Connor was concerned. What sort of deranged arrogant bastard would support such a thing? Furthermore Connor wondered in abject terror what Burton would do with the anomaly technology Connor was developing came to fruition? It was too awful to contemplate. Connor copied the files on to several flash drives and hand delivered them to Matt, Becker and Lester, with an additional one to go to the Minister.

And then he disappeared.

!*!*!

Abby patted her face dry, wishing the cool water she'd splashed on her face had helped, but she still felt queasy. It had been the same scenario each morning since she'd written the letter to Connor. She knew it wasn't a manifestation of her guilt for having deceived him. She knew it was something more. She didn't need her suspicions confirmed. Abby just _knew. _Her situation just made her imprisonment all the more frustrating and infuriating. She wanted Connor and she wanted him _now. _She decided a garrotting was too good for Matt - she'd have to think of something much much worse to do to him.

The last thing she wanted was another can of soup. The idea of eating almost made her sick again so Abby went back to bed and closed her eyes. She had to start thinking of an escape plan. Nothing was impenetrable. There had to be something she could do. Perhaps she could try to pick the lock again, or remove it from the door. Even if she got the bars off the windows, she wasn't on the ground floor and she didn't want to risk a fall. Under different circumstances it might have been worth the risk. Abby sighed and put the cold damp wash cloth she'd brought with her over her eyes. She felt too hot and too closed in. She'd have a proper think on an escape plan after a nap and some lunch.

She tried to concentrate on Connor and what the future potentially held for them. They'd have to move out of Jess' flat fairly soon. They'd find their own place, with at least three bedrooms and preferably a garden to play in. She pictured them together, loving each other, building a life together. She needed to keep the faith and pray that this would end and she and Connor would be reunited before things went to far. She curled on to her side and breathed steadily in and out, trying to keep calm. Nothing would feel right until she was back with Connor.

!*!*!

Connor tucked Abby's letter back into his pocket and stared at the grave in front of him. It made him sick to think that Abby's brother could be so heartless as to no want to bother with a memorial service for his sister. Lester had passed on the information with his usually monotone candor. Evidently since there wasn't a body to lay to rest, she wasn't worth it. If he hadn't been so consumed with grief and focused on nailing Burton, Connor would've travelled to wherever Jack Maitland was and raged at him for being a horrid human being. Connor would have one for her, even if he was the only person present. He'd say his goodbyes and lay her spirit to rest and wait, lonely and solitary for the rest of his life, until he could be with her again. Connor knew deep down that Abby would want him to move on and perhaps find love again, but he knew it would be impossible. There'd be no one after Abby. He'd take care of her animals, perhaps continue for the ARC to finally rid the world of anomalies, but there'd be nothing else for him.

He wasn't sure how long he'd been sitting at Nick Cutter's grave, but it was hours and the sun had moved across the sky. He pushed the damp tendrils of his hair off his face. How had he not noticed that it had rained? He shivered, feeling the cold down to his bones. Connor hadn't been back to Jess' flat or into the room he shared with Abby since he'd left to visit his mother. Since handing over the information he'd discovered about Burton to Matt and Lester, he'd been wandering aimlessly, mostly sleeping in the ARC vehicle he'd driven off in. He'd had the foresight to disable the tracking system. He didn't want to be found. He didn't know what to do or where to go. He supposed eventually he'd have to return to the ARC. Abby had asked him to look after Rex, and he wouldn't disappoint her.

He turned when her heard the crunch of approaching footsteps on the gravel path. Connor sighed and rubbed at his face. He didn't have anything to say to the man.

"Lester suggested a try here," spoke Matt, taking a seat next to him on the stone bench. "I've been looking for you for a couple of days now. You turned off your phone, haven't touched a computer. Jess couldn't track you."

"I didn't want to be found," replied Connor. "Why have you come?"

"A few reasons, the first of which is to tell you that Burton's dead."

Connor jolted, taken completely by surprise at the other man's words. "What?"

Matt nodded and continued. "Evidently upon learning that his private files had been hacked, he went into a bit of a panic I'm afraid. He went to the laboratory where the creatures were being held and the experiments took place. He was going to move the operation to Germany to safe guard it. Something went wrong and one of the creatures escaped. The guards killed the thing eventually, but it was too late for Philip Burton. Poetic justice, don't you think?"

"I don't believe it. I want to see it for myself. I want to see the body."

"There isn't much of one left. I can show you the CCTV footage if you like." Connor waved him off. "Becker's there now with his men. The Minister's found out now of course and he's ordered the place shut down and the living specimens of... of whatever it was they are to be destroyed. It's over, Connor."

Connor laughed humorlessly. "Yeah. It's over. I'm out, Matt. I'll send you whatever I suss out about the anomalies, but I can't go back, not without Abby."

"I think I can change your mind about that. Here..." Matt passed him a set of keys. Connor took them, confused as well as skeptical. "There's a house, about twenty minutes north of the city. It's not easy to find, so I'll give you directions. Go to the top of the stairs and then down the hallway to the left to the forth door on the right."

!*!*!

Abby awoke from her nap to the sound of footsteps in the hallway. They weren't very loud but after nearly two weeks locked in a room with nothing but birdsong from the outside as company, her hearing had become well honed. She rose quickly from the bed and fought the wave of nausea that hit her. She tightened the bathrobe around her body and padded soundlessly to the fireplace to take hold of the wrought iron poker. She'd already exhausted herself trying to pry open the doors with it. She'd only hit Matt enough to knock him out. She didn't really want to kill him, she just wanted to get out of the damn room and back in Connor's arms. She held her breath as the old fashioned skeleton key was fed into the lock and slowly turned. The door was pushed open tentatively and the male figure stepped inside. Abby swung true and sure straight for his head.

Connor ducked without a second to spare and missed getting his skull bashed by the iron poker. The curved hook near the end of the spike embedded in the door behind him and Abby let go, stumbling backwards. Connor's arm shot out and grabbed her by the waist to prevent her from falling over. They stared at each other with mutual looks of shock and awe. For one second their entire world came down to this single moment, then they reached for each other. Connor crushed her to him and she flung her arms around his neck. Their lips met in a voracious, desperate kiss with tongues vying for dominance, teeth biting and lips bruising. He wound his arms around her waist and lifted her up off the ground, vaguely heading in the direction of the bed. They tumbled over and Abby rolled him beneath her until they were in the center and she was straddling his lap. She smiled down upon him and felt her tears on her cheeks, mirrored by the ones on Connor's. Abby came down to him and kissed his mouth while caressing his cheek with her hand. He acted and kissed her with more passion before rolling them again so that Abby was under him. He settled his weight upon her and pulled her robe aside to reveal a plump, perfect breast. Abby's breathing became short and sharp as the roughness of his whiskers scraped against her sensitive skin as he drew her nipple into his mouth and suckled urgently. He thumbed her other nipple and ground his hardness against her through his jeans. Moments later he was pulling her robe away altogether, eager to have her completely naked. Abby grasped at his shirts and aggressively pulled them off. Connor's hands went to his belt, equally as impatient. Abby shoved down his boxers with his jeans and Connor kicked them off along with his shoes and socks.

They urgency to join brought them together a second later as Connor entered her in one swift motion. Abby gasped loudly as his girth stretched her, but the burn soon changed to a sensational stroking that had her entire body tingling. From the very moment she realized it was Connor who had come through the door she'd been in want of him. It occurred to her that it was probably the last time they'd made love that she'd gotten pregnant, right before he heard about his mum's accident and had to leave. She'd started up on the pill once they'd returned from the Cretaceous, but more often than not due to the stress of their jobs she'd forgotten to take the doses regularly. She'd never been so thankful for her lapses in judgment. It was scary to think they were becoming parents, but in this moment here with him her doubts evaporated. Abby caressed Connor's face and sought his eyes. She could always tell what he was thinking when she looked into their darkness. She saw his relief at being reunited, but also the lingering sadness from the lies he'd been told. Most of all however, she saw the enduring and deep love he had for her.

He held her gaze for only a moment then descended again to kiss her. She was warm and alive and his again. He surged against her and Abby cried out wordlessly as the pleasure radiated through her body from where they were joined. Connor held her close with one hand cradling the back of her head and the other holding her thigh over his hip as he thrust languidly into her welcoming body. The kissed hungrily and writhed together, feeling the frenzied need, but choosing to take their time to reaffirm the love the shared. Connor reveled in the softness of her breasts pressed against his chest, and the heat of her surrounding him. The way her hands kneaded the muscles of his back and shoulders and the way her hips rose to meet his thrusts anchored him to the reality that she'd not died and he could cherish her for the rest of their lives. The happiness that coursed through him was nearly to much to contain. He poured every emotion into make love to her and let every other aspect of their tumultuous lives fade away.

Abby had never felt so full of love in all her life. Having been denied Connor for just a few weeks had been torture. Knowing Matt and the rest of the team, including Lester, had placed him in immediate danger still made her blood boil. She knew something must've happened for Matt to have revealed her location to him. They'd suss it out later, for the present all she wanted and all she needed was him. Her skin felt hot and her body hummed as she felt a familiar tightening in her lower abdomen. Her breathing became shallow and she fought for air under Connor's fierce and possessive kisses. His slow and steady thrusts grew stronger and more forceful until he barely withdrew from her and merely rolled his hips against her. Abby gripped him by his hair and pulled him back so she could bring air into her lungs. She felt her orgasm nearing and the pressure was nearly uncomfortable. She stayed taught on the edge of it, her entire body quaking until Connor curled his hips on one final stroke and slid strongly against her most sensitive spot and Abby shattered. Her moan of pure ecstasy was loud and long as her core clamped down on him. Connor stilled to feel the pulsing of her muscles around his cock and how they rippled along the length of him. The sensation never ceased to amaze him and render him utterly helpless. He bucked up one last time and came in hot spurts as he hugged her with a bruising force. Abby felt as if she were floating away. The scent of him filled her nose and his weight upon her made her feel protected and coveted. The pleasure he wrought from her made colours dance in front of her eyes. She held him tight through the waves of her orgasm and continued to cleave to him as the minutes passed afterwards and her body calmed.

When they'd recovered, Connor moved to his side, reluctantly leaving the sanctuary of her body. He lay back against the pillows and drew her as near as possible. Abby insinuated her leg between his and lay her head upon his chest, finding peace in the feel and heat of his body against hers.

"Thank you for coming for me," she whispered. "I was beginning to think I'd been forgotten."

"They told me... they all said... I thought you were dead!" choked Connor, remembering that just a couple of hours ago she'd been deceased so far as he knew. Abby sighed miserably and sat up. Connor did the same and looked seriously at her. She angrily wiped away her fresh tears and met his eyes.

"I refused to go along with it, so Matt locked me up here."

"What? Abby! What if there'd been a bloody fire? No one came to check on you?" He was immediately shaking with anger.

She nodded. "Please don't be angry, Connor, please understand I was a prisoner here no matter what I did."

Connor was confused for a moment, then realized her meaning. "You wrote the letter. It was in your handwriting." The sudden hardness in his eyes shamed her.

"I'm sorry! I didn't want to. I _didn't_." She burst into tears again. Normally she wouldn't back down or cave so quickly and easily but she knew she'd been in the wrong and had been under great duress from being locked up.

"Why did you do it then?" His voice was low and he held a tenuous grasp on his emotions. They were mere inches from each other but the sudden distance between them was a chasm, especially after the beautiful reunion they'd just had.

"Matt convinced me to. I wrote the letter to get you to help. If I hadn't then they'd waste valuable time trying to convince you. I wasn't going to be let out of this room either way, I realized, so it made sense to move things along as quickly as possible. And because I wanted Philip Burton gone!" The sudden raising of her voice shook him. He loved and Abby and tried to understand why she'd allowed herself to be manipulated. Then he supposed he was no different, having been so completely ensnared by Burton's lies. "He's a leech. He's been draining the life out of both of us! I can't go back to the ARC, Connor, not when he's the one in control. I have to protect my family."

"Family? I don't understand..." His brow furrowed, but understanding soon dawned on him when Abby lay her hand over her lower abdomen. His eyebrows shot up, his eyes widened and his jaw dropped. Abby registered his reaction, but was unsure if she should smile or not. _She_ was surprisingly happy about the news that they were having a baby. For so many years she dismissed the idea, especially considering the danger they found themselves in on a daily basis. However, after this fiasco with trying to rid them of Burton, she knew that fate had intervened to give her and Connor something to fight for. His face remained petrified for some time before it finally crumbled.

"Why... why didn't you tell me?" He was vibrating with emotion, on the verge of crying again.

"I didn't know. I swear I didn't. I only figured it out last week. I can't be more than three or four weeks along at the most. Do you see why I can't go back there? I can't let our baby near that place so long as _he's_ there."

"He won't... he's not... I mean, Philip's dead."

Now it was Abby's turn to be shocked. Connor watched her, how she tried to process the news and how it would affect their future. Her hand still lay protectively over her abdomen and the reality hit him like a lightening bolt. He was going to be a father. Somewhere in and amongst the chaos, their moments of emotional distance and misunderstanding, Philip Burton's manipulation and the anomalies, they'd created new life. Connor suddenly hugged her, burying his face against her neck. Abby returned his embrace and lay her head on his shoulder. She had her Connor back.

"I love you so much Abby," Connor spoke roughly into her ear. "You were right about Burton all along, but he's gone and he won't ever hurt you or the baby. I promise. I'm so sorry I let it get this far. Can you ever forgive me?"

"Of course I can. I love you too. I wish there'd been another way, but Matt was determined and Lester and Becker agreed with him. I never wanted to lie to you. Can we sort it all out later? I can't handle anything more than right here right now."

"Me neither. Want to get out of here?"

"Oh god yes! I never want to see this bloody house again so long as I live!"

"Get dressed then. Hurry." Abby kissed him and quickly rose from the bed and dashed into the bathroom. She plucked her clothes from the rails where she'd hung them to dry and got dressed in record time. Connor took her by the hand and out into the fresh air. Abby paused to breathe it in and let the heat of the sun warm her face. As they pulled away from the property, Connor surprised her by turning the vehicle in the opposite direction of London.

"Where are we going?" Abby asked as they wove along the backroads of the countryside.

"I have no idea whatsoever. Is that okay?" Connor replied, taking hold of her hand. Abby smiled and relaxed in her seat. They would manage their affairs where Matt Anderson and the ARC were concerned another day. For right now all they needed and wanted was each other. Connor let go of her hand and rested his on her abdomen where their growing child was nestled.

"Yeah, Conn, it's more than okay."

"I was thinking maybe we should find somewhere to get married." He looked at her out of the corner of his eye and gave her a gleaming smile. Abby smiled back at him.

"Yeah, we should."

The End

The Prompt: _Whilst Connor is visiting his mum, he receives a call to tell him that Abby was killed in an accident. No one can explain quite what happened, and Connor is completely devastated. After much angst, Abby turns up alive and it was all a plan to somehow catch Burton out. Connor, of course, is heartbroken that she and the others didn't confide in him but for it to be believable he had to really think she was dead. Awww. _

And when the birthday girl was asked what sort of ending she'd like:

a. Some lovely smut.  
>b. A marriage proposal.<br>c. Connor finds out he's gonna be a daddy.  
>d. All of the above.<p>

Her reply was an enthusiastic D of course!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY WILEMINA!


End file.
